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Gretchen Schlosser

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Gretchen Schlosser is the public safety reporter, and writes about agriculture occasionally, for the West Central Tribune. She's been with the Tribune since 2006 and has 17 years of experience working in news, media and communications.

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(320) 214-4373

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WILLMAR -- A 58-year-old Willmar man was ordered on Friday to serve 54 months in prison, plus a five-year conditional release period, for molesting several young girls eight years ago. In Kandiyohi County District Court, Judge Donald M.

BUFFALO -- The driver in the April 5, 2008, bus crash along Interstate 94 that killed a Pelican Rapids High School student was sentenced Friday to 30 days in jail, 30 days of house arrest and 30 days of community work service. Loren Ernst, 71, of Moorhead, was sentenced Friday afternoon in Wright County District Court in Buffalo on a gross misdemeanor charge of criminal vehicular operation. He'd earlier entered a plea agreement that dismissed two felony charges of criminal vehicular homicide or operation in the case.

WILLMAR -- A Willmar couple entered guilty pleas Wednesday to felony charges of wrongfully obtaining public assistance. Jose Angel Vallejo, 41, and Mariana Luna Vallejo, 39, entered the pleas in Kandiyohi County District Court. Under plea agreements, two additional felony charges against Jose Vallejo and five additional charges against Mariana Vallejo for violating the declaration requirements for public assistance will be dismissed.

WILLMAR -- Corinne Clariette Fader, 57, of Spicer, pleaded guilty Thursday to an amended charge of second-degree drug sale for selling methamphetamine to an informant for the CEE-VI Drug Task Force. Under a plea agreement reached in Kandiyohi County District Court, the charge was lowered from first-degree level and two additional first-degree drug sale charges will be dismissed. She will be sentenced April 17. Fader is one of five people charged after a series of drug sales to an informant last summer and fall.

WILLMAR -- Jaime Turrubiates, 29, of Willmar, was sentenced Tuesday to 34 months in prison on a second-degree assault charge for hitting another man in the head with a metal baseball bat Aug. 22 at Regency Estates West. As part of his sentence handed down in Kandiyohi County District Court, Turrubiates was ordered to pay a $50 fine and was given credit for 193 days already served in jail. The charge was filed after Willmar police officers were called to the mobile home park around 1:50 a.m. Aug. 22 regarding a fight involving a group of men and women.

WILLMAR -- After years of state and federal appeals court decisions, a 30-year-old Willmar man accused of sexually molesting a 3-year-old boy almost 7 years ago was back in district court Wednesday. Orlando Manuel Bobadilla, 30, will -- once again -- make a first appearance in Kandiyohi County District Co-urt to face criminal se-xual conduct char-ges. That co-urt appearance is set for Monday afternoon Before Judge Kathryn N.

WILLMAR -- The court trial of Harvey Alford Carlson, 76, of Pennock, began and was continued Wednesday in Kandiyohi County District Court. Attorneys gave their opening statements in the case, where Carlson faces a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for allegedly molesting a girl when she was 5 to 11 years old. The trial was then continued to March 16 and 17 by District Judge Michael J. Thompson.

WILLMAR -- Manuel Antonio Leiva-Pineda, 27, of Willmar, made his first appearance Tuesday in Kandiyohi County District Court on a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman Sunday morning at an apartment building. Unconditional bail was set at $150,000. His next appearance is March 15. According to the complaint, Willmar Police were called to Dana Heights Apartments complex, 1500 15th St. S.E., around 3 a.m. Sunday. A woman there reported she'd been sexually assaulted.

WILLMAR -- Jarod Denis Siegfried, 28, of Kerkhoven, pleaded guilty Monday to an amended charge of fourth-degree drug possession with intent to sell for possessing methamphetamine seized by CEEVI Drug Task Force agents in November. As part of a plea agreement reached in Kandiyohi County District Court, the charge was lowered from a third-degree charge and three additional felony charges for drug and paraphernalia possession and sale will be dismissed.

WILLMAR -- Jose Luis Angel Salinas, 29, of Willmar, was sentenced Thursday to 62 months in prison, plus a five-year conditional release period, on a felony charge of driving while impaired. According to court files, Salinas was arrested by Willmar police officers on Nov. 9 after a citizen reported a vehicle all over the road at speeds of 80 to 90 mph on U.S. Highway 12.